What's a church for?

There is only one presentation that should take place here

Photo: Fr Julian Large


Silly question. Or, is it?

The Anglican Church has long been active in arranging all sorts of activities in their churches.

Flower Shows, Painting Exhibitions, Festivals of every shape and size and.....choral or musical recitals.

I hold hard to the view that churches, at least, Catholic ones, should be used for the worship of Almighty God.

Laughable isn't it?  Fancy going to church to go down on your knees and pray for forgiveness....we all know that no one actually sins any more. Hmm.

I recall the late Stella Hook telling me of her experience in Westminster Cathedral back in the 1980s.
She had called in precisely to go down on her knees and spend a few minutes with the Lord but, lo, she arrived to find the main aisle covered in flower petals.

The Cathedral was having a Flower Festival!

Stella was never one to mince words and so, when she found the late Cardinal Basil Hume standing at her elbow she turned to him and said: "You have turned God's house into a florist's shop"

The Cardinal's response is not on record.

But, it seems, that the concept of having a show of some kind is catching on more and more in Catholic parishes.

Arundel Cathedral has a famous flower festival and LMS Chairman reports on a recent recital of Ian Wilson's 'Stations' that took place in St George's Catholic Cathedral in Southwark.

It matters not to me that the aim or content of a performance is religious in context, I just dislike the thought of an audience sitting down to watch and listen when the prime purpose of the building is for the celebration of Holy Mass, the EF Mass, that is.

When the audience members wander in to take their pew seats do they bow to the tabernacle (assuming that they can see it)? This is, of course, presuming that the Blessed Sacrament was not present.

I suspect not.

Do they then speak in hushed tones both before and after the performance? Again, I think it highly unlikely.

Now I do appreciate that this cements the fact that I am a curmudgeon of the lowest order, but, so be it.

In fact, I have taken to wearing a 'curmudgeon' sign around my neck.
 All I need now is a bell to ring as I make my way through the townships.

Why would a priest not wish to celebrate Mass everyday?

I have been following James Preece's posts on how Liturgy of the Word type ceremonies appear to becoming a normal part of Catholic worship, even to the point of usurping the Mass. One comment posed the question: "What is going on at Arundel Cathedral on Mondays?" so, without further ado I had a peek to see exactly what was what down in leafy Sussex.

The real Liturgy of the Word made Flesh!

Sure enough, there are no Monday Masses, just the good old Liturgy of the Word as per the web details:-

'Mondays 10am : Liturgy of the Word and Holy Communion in the Cathedral'

I have never been to a Liturgy of the Word ermm....ritual?......service (sounds a bit garagey)......observance...convention...routine (thank you Roget!) so I don't really know what goes on but I can make a shrewd guess.

The issue really is, why would a Cathedral of all places, with three priests on site, have a day without Mass? Is it because they have celebrated a few over the weekend (Masses, I mean) and think that they can take a break on Mondays? Why would any priest worth his salt wish to give up an opportunity to say Mass; to be in such intimate contact with Christ?
It's beyond me. I decided to do an instant market research exercise to see how many other Cathedrals have gone down this road; I interrogated about 6 of their website before ennui set in.
Only one offered a LoW service and that was for children...to save the little dears from being isolated and distanced at Mass (yuk!)
Three guesses which Cathedral it was......South of England......name begins with P........Mr Inwood in residence.......yup, it was Portsmouth!

Here is how they try to justify what I believe is a grave and foolish error...

Why have a separate Liturgy of the Word with Children?
The Directory on Children’s Masses (1973) reminds us that we need to ensure that children at Mass ‘do not feel neglected because of their inability to participate or to understand what happens and what is proclaimed in the celebration’ (para17). The Directory therefore suggests the celebration of a separate Liturgy of the Word with the Children (LOWC) in another place so that children are enabled to listen and respond to the Word of God in a way which is appropriate for them.

Liturgy, not catechesis
LOWC is part of Mass, the Liturgy of the Word in simplified form. During it, children are given opportunities to hear and respond to the Word of God in ways which are suited to their age and ability. LOWC is a celebration of the Word of God, not a teaching session, sacramental preparation class or a crèche. ‘The final purpose of all liturgical and eucharistic formation must be a greater and greater conformity to the gospel in the daily life of the children’ (Directory for Masses with Children para 15).

What complete and utter tosh! I feel quite nauseous, so sorry to inflict it upon you, dear reader. I recall reading one of Mulier Fortis's posts from her recent pilgrimage to Lourdes. In it Mac recounted how Fr Tim Finigan gave a running commentary to children attending a 'catechetical' Mass whilst another priest celebrated it.
This seems so very sound and sensible. How on earth are children going to love the Mass if they are separated from it? How are adults going to for that matter?

And that is what the LoW does; it separates one from the truth; it makes the need to attend Mass less apparent...it is, in reality, quite a Protestant type of solution to a perceived 'problem', it ain't Catholic!